With all due respect to Mill, I am starting to not feel so bad about losing Harrison and some of these other guys. Seems to me some bad attitude guys are getting cleared out. Last year, just not a good karma year.

Everybody loved the way Harrison played, then he was neutered by the helmet contact rules, and his attitude made him a target of Goodell. I agreed with James on a number of points, but the boss is the boss, and you don't criticize the boss in public. It brought bad juju on the team, all his wrangling with Goodell. Somehow, I'm making millions a year, I'll find a way to get my point across privately. Maybe James has another good couple three years left, I hope so for him. But even though he's got less mileage on his body than other 35 years old, the older you are the easier you get hurt and the longer it takes to heal. it's got nothing to do with how much you've been hit, it's got to do with mitochondrial DNA.

Wallace is gone. What a dogshit player he turned out to be. In a way I'm glad for the guy that he's getting paid, I'm glad when anybody gets paid as long as it's not illegal or evil. But he dogged it last year. And go watch reruns of the Super Bowl we lost with Green Bay. Last drive, he let a perfectly thrown pass go right through his hands. Can't say if he caught it we'd have won, it's not like it was in the end zone or anything, but it would have been for a first down. Top flight receivers make that catch. He's going to be another of the many receivers we've had that other teams are willing to pay too much to: Plax, Washington, Randle-El, Holmes. Have we regretted losing any of those?

Look who's back: Will.i.am Gay, Foote, guys who left for greener pastures only to find out they aren't so green. Again, I don't feel ill will toward anybody who wants to get paid. It just seems to me they aren't always good at figuring out the total compensation picture.

Other guys have restructured, most noticeably Woodley. Maybe he's getting the picture. Hampton has yet to be signed, but McClendon is. Plax is back at league minimum. Not much risk there and maybe we can get something out of him. Sanders is signed. Dan Connor, now this is the kind of free agent signing I like, hopefully we get him. He had a great college career, I kinda lost what happened to him.

Maybe we can get a fresh attitude for this year. We still have Ben, maybe he won't get hurt this year. Maybe this Spence kid is all healed up and turns out to be another great Stiller linebacker.

All in all, I'd just rather be an optimist about the team. And maybe the Pirates will have a winning season to boot.

Harrison was my fave Stiller last season, but this reminds me of the Faneca and Ward releases, will he be the same at 35?

Kevin Colbert's and Mike Tomlin's worth will really be tested this upcoming season...... It will be a real indicator whether the Stillers will remain contenders or join the "orange" teams and Mediocrity-ville..............

No disrespect intended, but this team will be lucky to be 8 and 8. It is filled with mediocre talent. Look at all the holes in the team:

Right Outside LB now that Harrison is goneFree Safety: Pola hasn't played a complete season in yearsInside LB: Foote is an undersized LB who is also SLOWLeft DE: Hood gets run over anytime the other team wants to do soCorners: Ike is getting beat and the rest are journeymen at bestLeft Outside LB: Big LaMarr is getting his ass run over--teams run right at him and Hood

Those are the glaring weaknesses on defense--add to that that there is NO playmaker now that Harrison is gone and Pola is too fragile.

On offense we have the usual suspects: The offensive line is a pile of mediocrity. The receiving corp just lost Wallace who can stretch the field. Burress is a waste. You have no big boy receiver who can take the ball away from corners like for example Boldin can. Heath Miller probably won't be much of a factor next year due to complete knee restructure. He may be done. Running game? Still trying to find that. And Ben doesn't look happy with the offensive coordinator.

So other than a talent less defense and an offense that is inconsistent on a good day, sure the season looks great. Also Tomlin and Colbert can't seem to tell NFL Level talent in the draft better than they can tell their assholes!

Oh and this team is at the salary cap. A mediocre team at the salary cap!!

Len, as for ROLB and FS I share your fears, but am hopeful that the newer guys can get some play time at LB and maybe we get surprised. I also agree with the analysis of Woodley and Hood on the left side. However, I respectfully disagree on the following points:

CORNERS: I actually thought that, for the first time since Woodson got moved to safety with a bum knee, we had corners who could cover guys. I have never joined the Ike-bashers, as he covers the number ones week in and week out and the new guys REALLY stepped up in my opinion last year. I expect our pass coverage down the field to be one of the bright spots this year, which actually may take some of the pressure off of Pola.

O-LINE: I also thought he O-line was coming to gether at the end of the year, and (hopefully) with DeCastro having a full offseason to workout with the team it will only get better.WALLY WHATS-HIS-NAME: Mike Wallace couldn't stretch a jockstrap. I don't care of he's fast, he was LAZY and had meat hammers for hands last year. GOOD RIDDANCE. Let Sanders and AB command the lion's share of passes and, even if Miller is less than 100%, we have options at TE.RUNNING GAME: Look for Dwyer (the humble hero) to have a solid, 3 yards and a cloud of dust, Bettis-like year with 1,000 yds or more.

I, of course, could be wrong on all of these points, but that's where I stand. Hope everyone is having a good off-season.

If there's one thing I've learned in all of my years of Stiller fandom it's that you never what the hell the new season brings. I'm actually looking forward to seeing what some of our young guys bring to the table.

As far as Harrison goes, the cumulative effect of being Goodell's whipping boy has left it's toll on him. He's no longer the angry, aggressive, and out of his mind madman in the backfield that he once was. I witnessed him helping up way too many opposing players last season as compared to previous seasons - the edge is gone. When you combine that with his age and price tag, he became expendable. I'm really hoping we land a stud pass rusher in the draft because that's what we need most.

No matter what, we have one thing that more than half the teams in the league don't... a proven winner at QB. That fact alone should give every Stiller fan some level of hope. We also have an organization that has proven to show they know what the hell they're doing most of the time.

Besides, the Jacco contract has already started the cataclysmic chain of events that spells certain doom for the Ratbirds!

fry, I thought Ike was up and down. There were some days he couldn't cover for crap. Other days he was excellent. Let's hope he's consistently good.

SoCal, you are right about harrison. The new rules neutered him and took away his edge. I always felt like he lead with his helmet more partially because he's not very tall for a linebacker. Even though he's gone we will always have his pick-6 of Warner, beyond the shadow of a doubt the greatest defensive play in SB history.

And yeah, as Palmer Sucks pointed out, Flacco's contract is trashing the Ravens!

You are all kidding me right? What happened in the off season - did the Pirates buy the Steelers? Let me get this straight. We signed Matt Speath, Larry Foote, William Gay and Gradkowski? This is getting fucking atrocious - cmaon Stillers - put the damned koolaid down and quit putting lipstick on the Pigskin! ! This is damned pathetic

This offseason is not much different than any other. I'm amazed when people are shocked that we release vets and don't sign big name free agents? This is right out of the Steeler's operating handbook, and it's the same year after year. Next man up... You never know what the new season brings with this team. I for one am looking forward to the draft and seeing what these young guys do.

Nahhhh.. this is the slow disintegration process we have been witnessing since Tomlin came. It just ramped up this year. I repeat - put down the koolaid.. step back... detox.... and realize that the Steelers are neck deep in the swamp of fucksuck. Thats what we are now --- second class suckfucks!

I'm with you PG. This off-season is a complete meltdown of epic proportions. This penny-pinching, retreading BS has got to stop. Did anyone really lose any sleep when we initially parted ways with Gay, Speath,or Foote? No, cause they sucked ass when they were here and they haven't gotten any better as they've grown older.

Gay is undersized, Speath can't catch and Foote is slow as shit with no lateral movement, it is known. This selling of the company line, that these are Steelers guys, makes me want to puke. Shit is shit, no matter what jersey it wears. Reminds me of when they brought back Mitch Berger after he proved himself to be a punter who can't kick it 35 yds, somehow our coaches thought he was the best available FA to sign.

Either this front office has no short-term memory or they have no ability to scout other team's players. Not making an offer to Lewis is inexcusable in my book. Putting any kind of hope in Gay at nickle is laughable, as we will have no pass rush what's so ever. They should've cut that fat fuck Woodley, kept James and let Worilds line-up opposite.

I would rather punch myself repeatedly in the nuts than put any hope in that Tomlin and Colbert will suddenly discover how to evaluate talent, and make any significant additions this year.

Hang in there because I don't think it is as bad as everyone is making it seem. Compared to 2 seasons ago, our O-line is better (and younger), our CB play is better, and we are getting younger most everywhere else. I agree with you guys about Foote, but Gay was playing above average nickel before he was moved over. Spaeth was simply added for cheap depth with Heath's status up in the air.

bubbybrister wrote:I'm with you PG. This off-season is a complete meltdown of epic proportions. This penny-pinching, retreading BS has got to stop. Did anyone really lose any sleep when we initially parted ways with Gay, Speath,or Foote? No, cause they sucked ass when they were here and they haven't gotten any better as they've grown older.

Gay is undersized, Speath can't catch and Foote is slow as shit with no lateral movement, it is known. This selling of the company line, that these are Steelers guys, makes me want to puke. Shit is shit, no matter what jersey it wears. Reminds me of when they brought back Mitch Berger after he proved himself to be a punter who can't kick it 35 yds, somehow our coaches thought he was the best available FA to sign.

Either this front office has no short-term memory or they have no ability to scout other team's players. Not making an offer to Lewis is inexcusable in my book. Putting any kind of hope in Gay at nickle is laughable, as we will have no pass rush what's so ever. They should've cut that fat fuck Woodley, kept James and let Worilds line-up opposite.

I would rather punch myself repeatedly in the nuts than put any hope in that Tomlin and Colbert will suddenly discover how to evaluate talent, and make any significant additions this year.

Socal you are a good guy - but we all know you are whistling past the golf course (which is where the Steelers were after the final regular season game) and that our performance and record are the true indicators no matter how much koolaid you drink. Fat stupid old and lazy describes the entire Steeler organization.

Well, I see The Ravens lost Ed Reed to The Texans. And the mass exit from Baltimore continues. Hope it was worth it signing your "elite" QB Joe Fucko to the richest contract in NFL history. Seriously, that team has now lost how many of their starting Defense, and arguably their best WR since the off-season?!!

The Steelers may be ass this season, but I can't see that Ratbirds being that much better, either.....

Been thinking the same thing 76. Not just the Rats - but there are many teams that seem to be expatrioting (get it?) Nonetheless - the Steelers would still not go far. It just means our division now sucks. Of course - there is still the possibility that Harry will be pounding on Ben this year

There isn't enough room in the rat's nest with Fucco and all his money. The Boldin loss hurts them most with all the times he bailed out Fucco.

And PG, I'm sure your a good guy too. I really enjoy the conversation on this site since I don't get much of that where I live now. Would love to sit down and have a few beers with all of you instead of typing it out.

Everybody, and I mean Everybody, in the mainstream press, is saying the Stillers are "done".

Since when did they ever get it right? Stillers have been written off early nearly every year that I can remember in the last dozen. You are much better betting 180 degrees out of phase with the mainstream press than going with what they say.

Larry Foote. Leaves for Detroit, NFL purgatory. Comes back and plays better than I ever remember him playing (still not star quality, but there was a time last season where I thought he was our best linebacker).

Maybe Gay and Spaeth will be the same. I thought Gay had picked up his game before departing. And Spaeth, big fukk that he is, should have been a much better player than he was. He was a stud in college apparently. Maybe a couple of years (?I think) has changed his attitude, and also the possibility of serious playing time with Heath out for what I think should be the whole season (so he can fully recover). Spaeth does know the offense.

Pommah wrote:Everybody, and I mean Everybody, in the mainstream press, is saying the Stillers are "done".

Since when did they ever get it right? Stillers have been written off early nearly every year that I can remember in the last dozen. You are much better betting 180 degrees out of phase with the mainstream press than going with what they say.

Larry Foote. Leaves for Detroit, NFL purgatory. Comes back and plays better than I ever remember him playing (still not star quality, but there was a time last season where I thought he was our best linebacker).

Maybe Gay and Spaeth will be the same. I thought Gay had picked up his game before departing. And Spaeth, big fukk that he is, should have been a much better player than he was. He was a stud in college apparently. Maybe a couple of years (?I think) has changed his attitude, and also the possibility of serious playing time with Heath out for what I think should be the whole season (so he can fully recover). Spaeth does know the offense.

12-4 and division champs. Ben has career year.

I'm with you completely Pommah. Some of our best years were preceded by off-seasons not much different than this one. Besides, being the OCD kind of person I am, all of the changes makes it more intriguing for me.